Doubt surrounds UK Expo

The owner of the rights to the UK Apple Expo - US Web/CKS - is remaining tight-lipped over the future of the exhibition.

Thomas Notemann, managing director of US Web/CKS Germany said: "We are remaining silent about our future strategy because we're still negotiating with Apple about the next steps."

Of Apple's decision to pull out of the show, he said: "We don't feel the decision is a lucky one. We have to look into how to move forward to fulfil all requirements - ours, Apple's, those of third-party manufacturers, and the market's."

An industry source told Macworld that the exhibition organizers are "desperately trying to get Apple to change its mind, but that Apple "won’t budge". He added that Apple feels the organizers should "accept the situation for what it is".

Bob Denton, the UK-based Expo organiser, said: "There’s no doubt that the show would have been a rip-snorter."